Motor vehicle



J. G. VINCENT 2,254,334

MOTOR VEHICLE Sept. 2, 1941.

Filed March 7, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

034ml v ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1941.

J. G. VINCENT MOTOR VEHICLE 5. sheets-sheet 2 Filed March '7, 1959 INVENTOR.

M1 24%: Y ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, W41. J. G, VINCENT MOTOR VEHICLE Filed March '7, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. W

' ATTORljIEYS Sept. 2, 1941. J. G. VINCENT MQTOR VEHICLE Filed March '7, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

(2142; "'2' I ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1941. J. G. VINCENT. 2,254,334 I MOTOR vmucm Filed March 7, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E j /8 7.? w

.95 9; 5'0 5 I' Ta reamed Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.254.334 Moron vnm'chs I Jesse G. Vincent, Grosse Points, Mich, assignor to Packard Motor Car Comp Detroit, Mich a corporation of Michinn Application March 1,1939, Serial No. 160,404

' 15 Claims. (01. 14-328) This invention relates to power transmitting mechanism of the type more particularly adapted for use with motor vehicles. 7

An' object of the invention is to provide a power transmitting mechanism in which the drive from.

standard change speed gearing can be readily modified by the driver to produce an additional driving speed without changing the relation of the gearing.

Another object of the invention is to provide power transmitting mechanism for motor vehicles in which the'drive from standard change speed gearing can bereadiiy modified by slight effort on the part of the driver when the gearing is in a reduction drive relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide power means under control of a motor vehicle accelerator pedal for modifying the driving speed of change speedgearing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power transmitting mechanism, in which a planetary gearing and an ovemmning brake are associated in the drive from standard change speed gearing, with a connection operated by a shift rail for positively locking the overrunning brake during reverse drive.

Another object of the invention resides in control apparatus for mechanism having planetary with the drawings, which form a part of this.

specification:

Fig.- 1 is a vertical sectional view of a motor vehicle power transmitting mechanism and control apparatus incorporating the invention:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the the change speed shift'rails in control oi the power means and the reverse gear lock;-

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view of the power device shown in Fig. 3 for shiftingthe mechanism to lock or unlock the planetary underdrivegearing. The power transmitting mechanism herein described is designed for use where a plurality of driving speed ratios is desired, and it is particularly adapted for use in motor vehicles, The

1 mechanism is shown arranged beneath the floorboard 20 and the'toe board 2| in a conventional manner. The power transmitting casing struc-.

clutch and flywhee1,.-section23 houses conventional change speed gearing for obtaining a pluralityof forward driving speed ratios and a reverse drive, and section 2 houses mechanism for modifying the drive transmitted from the change speed gearing,

The front wall of casing 23 carries a suitable bearing 25 in which is mounted the enlarged rear end of drive shaft 28, which may be the vehicle clutch shaft, driven from the vehicle engine I! 25 through conventional clutch mechanism (not shown): The enlarged end of the driving shaft is formed with an axial recess for the reception of 21, in. whichthe forward end of the "intermediate or tail shaft 2| is iournaled. The

3 rear end of the tail shaft extends through the rear wall of casing sectionZSand-has'spIined thereon a gear 28 iournaled inbearing 2|.

A gear spool II or. countershaftis rotatably has flxed'thereon gears 32; 24, and 3G. Gear 23 is in constant mesh'with a gear 21 formed on the enlargedend or drive shaft 26, so that! the countershaft is continuously connected in posi- 0 tivedriven relation therewith. Gear II is also continuouslyin mesh with a gear "which is ro- ,tatabiy mounted on the intermediate shaft 28.

Gears 35 and ii consfltute the low speed and reversev gears respectively, gear 36 being conmountedon shaft}! in the casing section 22 and tinuously in mesh with 'a' conventional reverse ,sidler gear 39. ;A gear- 40 is slidably Plin'ed on tail shaft 28 and has external teeth engageable with the' reverse idlergear and with gear 35.

same;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view, partly'in plan and partly in side elevation, showing the control apparatus for the power shifting mechanism;

' Shifter fork l2 the'gear it and is carried so on shiftraiiflmitablymountedinbearingsin Y the cover-portion I! of thecentral casing-section 23. Theshift railisselectively actuated by a lever of usual formwhich may be manually operated by the vehicle driver in the well known mechanism with the casing broken away to show manner.

Thus in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, gear 48 may be moved to mesh with gear 35 to provide a first speed forward, or moved to mesh with idler gear 38 to provide a reverse drive. Second and third forward speeds can be obtained when gear 38 is connected in driving relation with.

the tail shaft 28, and high or fourth forward speed is secured by coupling shafts 28- and 28 to provide direct drive. Gear 31 has clutch teeth 45 formed thereon and similar clutch teeth 48 are formed on gear 38. Between these clutch teeth is a movable synchronizing positive clutch having a hub section 41 slidably splined to shaft 28 and a rim section 48, such sections having slidably engaging teeth ,and the teeth of the rim section being engageable with clutch teeth 45 or 46. When the teeth of the clutch rim section engage teeth 45 direct drive is established between shafts 26 and 28, and when the rim section teeth engage teeth 48 then gear 38 is coupled to the tail shaft and second or third forward speeds can be obtained. The rim section of the clutch has a shifter fork 48 associated therewith which is mounted on shift rail 58 mounted in bearings in the cover l8 and arranged to be actuated by shift lever 44 in the usual manner.

In the casing section 24' is mechanism for establishing either secondor third forward driving speed and allowing free wheeling when first and second speed drives are established. In casing 24 is a driven shaft 52 for' transmitting power to the vehicle traction wheels arranged in aligned axial relation with the tail shaft 28 and having the forward end thereof provided with a recess that receives. the pilot 58 on the rear end of the tail shaft. The rear wall of easing section 24 has a ring 54 and a cover 55 secured thereto by bolts 56. Extending forwardly from the ring 54 is a hearing or race 51 that encircles the driving shaft, and carried in the cover 55 is a bearing 58 for supporting the driven shaft.

The tail-shaft and the driven shaft are positively'connected by planetary gearing, including tail gear 28, that when locked transmits direct drive from the tail shaft to the driven shaft, and when released provides a reduced drive or underdrive from the tail shaft to 'the driven shaft. The planet gear carrier is comprised of a flange 59 at the forward end of the driven shaft and a clutch ring 88 secured together by rivets 6|. Extending between the carrier sections and supported thereby are shafts 82 on which planet gears 83 are rotatably mounted,

. the arrangement being suchthat the planet gears mesh with the internal teeth of gear. 28. The planet gears also mesh with a sun gear 84 formed on the forward end of a sleeve shaft 85. This sleeve shaft is rotatably mounted on the driven shaft and extends rearwardly so that its end is telescoped by the bearing 51.

Between the casing section 24, bearing 8'! and sleeve shaft 65 of the planetary gear connection is arranged an overrunning brake structure. On the'sleeve shaftis splined a race 88 and between races 51 and 88 is arranged a plurality of rollers 66. The rollers are carried in slots in a cage 81 and the forward end bf this cage terminates in a radial flange that engages a split flexible ring 88' seated in a groove in the race 68. Spaced bearing race 68. A pair of split single convolution coil springs 283 are interposed within the cage and have one end anchored to the cage and the other end anchored to bearing 88, such springs both acting on the cage in a direction urging the rollers into wedaing posi against the cam surfaces 'II formed in bearing 81. These cam surfaces terminate at one end in arcuate recesses I8 so that the rollers will be free when lying adjacent thereto. The rollers will he wedged between the races wherethe planetary gearing is free except when the driven shaft overruns the tail shaft. Thus the planetary sleeve is held against rotation in first and second forward drive speeds so that the planetary gearing will form a reduction driving connection when the planetary is free.

As previously stated, the planet gear carrier section 68 forms a part of a control clutch and movable clutch mechanism is associated therewith for looking or unlocking the carrier with the sun gear shaft. Such clutch mechanism is "of the tooth or dental type and preferably includes synchronizing means. The hub I2 is slidably splined on the sleeve shaft 85 and slidably splined to the hub and mounted to slide on the sleeve shaft is a clutch element II, the splines of which are also arranged to mesh with teeth I4 on the clutch element 88. The clutch element 88 is also provided with a tapered rearwardiy extending friction cone IS with which a cone friction ring Ii'flxed to the hub 12 is adapted to engage to bring the hub and the clutch section 68 to the same speed before the teeth of the clutch section I3 engage the teeth I4. A plurality of flat spring members II are secured across grooves .in the periphery of the clutch hub section I2 and are formed with outwardly pressed detent portions I8 arranged to resiliently engage in recesses I8 formed in the inner periphery of the clutch section I3. springmembers 'I'I normally engage in the recesses I8 and'hold the clutch sections 2 and I3 together so that when shifted forw friction member I8 willengage the friction member I5 and bring the associated clutch sections to the same speed prior to the time the clutch section I3 is moved into engagement with the teeth I4. Continued pressure urging the clutch section I3 toward engagement with the teeth I4 will depress the spring elements so that the secion I3 will then be freed to move forwardly into engagement with the teeth 14 as shown in E8. 1. The clutch section I3 is actuated by mechanism including a yoke 88 fixed on shaft 8| extending through the casing section 24, and a control lever 82 fixed to this shaft at the outside of the casing section.

Engagement of clutch elements I8 and I4 locks the planetary carrier with the sun gear shaft to thereby provide direct drive from the tail shaft to the driven shaft, while disengagement of such elements allows the planetary gearing to operate and reduces the drive from the tail shaft to the driven shaft when the driven shaft does not overrun the tail shaft. The clutch control for the planetary gearing ispreferably such that the planetary functions to provide a reduced drive only in first, second and reverse drives. The second and thirdspeeds are preferably obtained with the same gear relation in the change speed gearing with the planetary clutch for selection controlled by a pressure system controlled by an electric system undercontrol of the accelerator pedal and the gear shift rails.

These the The arrangement is also such that shifting of the clutch section 13 will occur through the medium of engine developed and spring power to. Coil spring88 is anchored at one end to pin 81 and at the othenend to cover 55 in a relation normally exerting sufiicient pull upon the;

15 the lower arm of the bell crank I82 will be rocked rearwardly.

clutch operating mechanism to disengage the clutch section 13 and hold it in the position shown in Fig. 2. Connected with the forward end of the cylindergis a power line 88 that leads to the intake manifold 880i thejenglne I8. A portion of this power line includes aligned passages 8|, 82 and 83 in the cover I8 of the casing section 23, and communication between such passagesis controlledby the shift rails 43 and 58,

the rail 58being formed with a passage 84 and I 25 by a wire II with a solenoid H8 and a terminal of switch H2 is connected with wire II5. when the solenoid is energized it will draw a lock.

the rail 43 being formed with a passage 85. 7

When the rails are in position such that the passages 84 and 95 align with thepassages 9|, 82 and 83, whiclris in the high or fourth speed drive relation; then the forward end of the cylinder will be in open communication with the engine manifold and the s'uctionon the piston 85 will overcome the spring 88to move the piston to the forward end of the cylinder. This movement'of the piston and its rod 86 will swing the lever 82 forwardly or clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so that the clutch element 13 will be moved into mesh with the teeth 14 of the clutch element 88, as shown in-Fig. 1. thereby locking the planetary carrier element 88 with the sun gear sleeve 85, In such relation the planetary gearing will revolve as a unit and the drive from shaft 28 to shaft 52 will be direct. In all other driving relations of the change speed gearing, except high speed drive, vacuum will be cut oil by the shift rails and the. spring 88 will urge the power piston 85 to its rearmost position so that the clutch section 13 will be disengaged fromithe clutch section 88, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus when the clutch is disengaged the drive from shaft 28 to shaft 52 will be reduced throughthe planetary gearing. Itwill be understood, of course, that first and second speed drives can take place only when the overrunning brake is engaged as otherwise the sun gear would be free to rotate. In third and high the drive is direct from the tail'shaft to the driven shaft, and inreverse the sun gear is held stationary by locking the clutch element13. Thus the driven shaft can overrun the tail shaft only in first and second speed.

Third speed forward drive can be obtained only when the shift rail 58 is moved from high speed position to intermediate drive position. When the change speed gearing is in third speed relation, second speed drive can be obtained by releasing clutch section 13 from the clutch section '88 and. as before related, this is accomplished through actuation of the accelerator pedal so that the driver will not have to use his hands.

The accelerator pedal I88 is pivotally associated with the toe board in the usual manner and a rod I8Iis attached to the underside thereof and extends through an opening in the toe board where it is connected. to a bell crank I82, 'suitably pivoted to the vehicle. Between the throttle can be extended relatively while holding the throttle in wide open position.

tum them from the extended relation caused by operation of the accelerator beyonda wide open throttle position. The normal or released position of the accelerator pedal is shown in dotted lines at I85 in Fig. 3 and the position of the accelerator at which the throttle is wide open is shown in dot-and-dash lines at I81 in Fig. 3. By pressing the accelerator downwardly below position I81 the throttle link will be extended and This bell crank cooperates with an electrical system for controlling the power mechanism for operating clutch 13. The motor vehicle. battery is indicated at I88 and the wire I88 extends therefrom to the ignition switch II8. A wire III con-.

heats the ignition switch with one terminal of a switch H2 andwith a'terminal of switch H4. ,The other terminal of switch 4 is connected plunger I I1 in an upward direction. Normally this lock plunger is moved downwardly by a 30 coil spring I I8. The solenoid is suitably mounted switch 2 is arranged to be moved into circuit closing position by the bell crank I82 of the throttle mechanism when rocked in an anticlockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3, beyond a.

position fully opening the throttle. The switch H4 has a spring opened contact element I2I with'which an actuator plunger I22 is associated. This plunger extends through the cover I8 and is engaged by shift rail 43 to close the switch II4 except when the rail is in neutral 45 position. The rail has a recess I23 therein into which the plunger I22 is moved by the contact element spring when the rail is in neutral position, thus the switch H4 is closed to energize the solenoid 8- so that the lock member H1 is lifted when the change speed gearing is infirst or reverse drive. At'the same time the passage 95 through rail 43 is closed to passage 83 when rail 43 is in position to establish first or revei'se drives so that, the vacuum line to the powercylinder is thereby cut off. When the rail 43 is in neutral position, as shown in Fig. 6, then the switch H4 is open'and the passage 85 is open to passages 85 and. 83, but of course the vacuum line is also controlled by the position of shift -68 rail 58.

When switch I I4 is closed by shift rail 43, the solenoid 8 will be energized and will withdraw and hold the lock member II1 out of recess H8 in the plunger rod 88. Under such condition spring 88 .will move the plunger 35 to the rear of the cylinderfi l'and thus actuate the associated mechanism to move the clutch element 13 out of mesh with the clutch teeth 14, as shown in Fig. 2. In'such positions the shift rail 43 will 7. shut off the vacuum line to the power mechanism.

With the clutch element 13 disengaged, the planetary gearing is free to reduce the driving ratio between the tail shaft and the driven shaft. With the shift rail 43 in neutral position, the switch 4 will be open allowing the spring a I83 and the bell crank is a two-part link I84, the parts 'of which can telescope so that they Coil spring I88- 5 is associated with the link parts to normally reto urge the lock member I" toward the plunger rod, and passages 92 and 83 will be open to each other. The shift rail 43 is of course in neutral position when the shift rail 50 is actuated to provide intermediate and high speed ratios in the change speed gearing and hence the switch 4 will be open under such circumstances.

When shifting up from first speed or reverse,

the shift lever 44 is moved to e gage rail 50. Rearward movement of the rail will establish intermediate drive through the change speed gearing and the relief passage I30 in the rail will register with passage I 29 so that the power line 49 is open to'atmosphere and spring II will retain the power mechanism in position disengaging .clutch 13 from clutch element 14. Thus the planetary is free and reduces the. drive from the tail shaft to the driven shaft so that a second speed forward drive results. When the shift rail is moved forwardly into position direct or high speed drive is established through the change speed gearing, as shown in Fig. 6, as the passage 94 will open the power line to cylinder 84 and the plunger 85 and its rod will be moved forwardly by suction thus operating the associated mechanism to move clutch element II into engagement with clutch element I4. With the clutch elements engaged, the planetary gearing is locked and direct drive is transmitted from the tail shaft to the driven shaft. When the power plunger is thus moved forward,- upon shifting the change speed gearing into high speed ratio, the lock plimger III will be forced by spring III into recess II! from which it cannot be released except by the solenoid.

While in high speed ratio, it is sometimes destable to obtain a lower speed ratio to obtainacceleration. such for example as when another vehicle. Under such circumstance a speed between second and high can be readily obtained with this mechanism. Shift rail I is moved rearwardly to intermediate speed relation, thus cutting off the vacuum line to the power cylinder and venting the line to atmosphere through passages I34 and I29. But when shiftingdown from direct in this manner; the lockout plunger III is still engaged in recess Ill so that the clutch element 13 cannot be shifted out of engagement with the clutch element 14 by the spring 84 and, consequently. the drive from shaft 28 to shaft 52 will be direct thus providing a speed between secondspeed forward and high speed. When shifting down in this manner only therail ilisactuated andtheswitch II4remains disengaged. In order to get back into second section 24, is a pawl I33.

will be kept from idling. Such lock mechanism is preferably arranged to be actuated by the shift rail 43 when moved to establish a reverse drive through the change speed gearing. The outer periphery of the clutch element I3 is formed with teeth I3l at its forward end and fixed to a shaft I32. mounted in the upper part of the casing Fixed on this same shaft I 32 is a control arm I34 arranged to ride on top of the rail 43, and engaging this arm and the adjacent casing section is a coil spring I35 for normally urging the arm in a downward direction. In the rail 43 is a recess I50 arranged so that when the rail is moved to a position shifting the change speed gear into reverse drive the arm I34 can drop into the recess and as the shaft I32 and the pawl I33 are fixed with the arm, the spring I 35 will act to engage the pawl with teeth I3I on the clutch element so speed forward is useful when it is desired to use the engine for braking the vehicle's progress such as when going down hill or in passing another vehicle on the road.

With anoverrunningbrakeinthe drivemechanism it is necessary that some form of lock mechanism be provided when reverse drive is to be employed in order that the planetary gearing that the same is locked from rotation in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4;. The

clutch being held against rotation will cause the planetary gearing to operate so that the reverse drive from the change speed mechanism to the crank shaft will be reduced.

Means for limiting the movement of the power piston is shown associated with the lever 82. Such m'eans consists of a U-shapedplate I44 having ears I turned out from each end thereof, the plate being secured to the side of the casing section 24 by suitable bolts I42. The flanges I4I form stop members between which the lever 82 must rock and are so spaced that the powerpiston 85 will not move beyond desired limits in either direction of its axial travel.

The only time that the power piston can be moved by vacuum to engage the planetary clutch is when direct drive or high speed drive through the change speed mechanism is established be.- cause this is the only relation in which the rail ports open the power system to the power cylinder. In order to give vacuum an opportunity to build up suiiiciently in the system to overcome the force of spring 88 and operate the clutch, delay means is provided. This means consists of a ball I44 slidable in a recess I45 in the power cylinder and urged toward the piston rod by coil spring I 46. In the piston rod is a recess l4'l into which the ball-is pressed by the spring when aligned. The pressure of this spring i4 is sunlcient to retain the ball in the rod recess until a predetermined vacuum has been built up in the end of the power cylinder suilicient to engage the planetary clutch.

The driver of the vehicle is thus able to shift from direct to third speed merely by moving the shift rod 50 rearwardly to intermediate speed position and he can shift back from third speed drive to direct drive by merely shifting the rail 54 forwardly to high speed position. It will be understood that the accelerator pedal should not be pressed beyond wide open throttle position when shifting in the manner just set forth.

When shifting down from third speed to second speed, the shift rail 50 must be in intermediate forward speed position and then upon closing the switch I I2 by pressing the accelerator pedal beyond wide open throttle position, the solenoid will b energized and will withdraw the lock'rod ill from recess III allowing the spring 04 to release clutch element I3 from clutch element 12, thus freeing the planetary gearing. The change speed gearing is of course in the same relation for both second and third speeds but in second speed the planetary gearingis free Although the invention has been described in A connection with a specific embodiment, the

principles involved are susceptible of numerous other applications which will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a power transmitting mechanism, a change speed gearing having movable means for controlling forward and reverse drive through a tail shaft, a driven shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts including an orbital gear sleeve telescoping the driven shaft, a cas-- ing around the planetary gearing, overrunning brake means associated with the casing and the sleeve, a clutch slidably splined on said sleeve and shiftable to lock or release the planetary gearing, lock means carried by the casing for engaging said clutch, and-means operable by said change speed gearing control means for vholding said lock means engaged with said clutch when said change speed gearing is driving in reverse.

2. In a power transmitting mechanism, change speed gearing having a tail shaft and shiftable means for establishing a plurality of forward speed drives and a reverse drive through said tail shaft, a driven shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch shiftable to lock or release said planetary'gearing and thereby establish direct or reduced drive between said shafts, a spring urging said clutch in one direction, mechanism for moving said clutch in the other direction, a fluid 'power system associated to actuate said clutch moving mechanism, and means under control of said shiftable means in said change speed gearing for controlling said power system.

a line in operative relation with said clutch operating mechanism, the ported portions of said rails extending through said power line and controlling the application of pressure to said clutch operating mechanism.

4. In a power transmitting mechanism, a

change speed gearing including a pair of ported shift rails, a tail shaft and a casing in which the rails are slidably mounted, a driven shaft,

planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch shiftable to lock and release said planetary gearing, mechanism operable to shift said clutch, a spring normally urging said clutch shifting mechanism in one direction, and a fluid pressure system associated to overcome said spring and move said clutch mechanism in an opposite direction to that urged by the spring, said fluid pressure system being traversed and controlled by the ported portions of said change speed gearing shift rails, the rail ports being arranged to open theiluid system in only one of their positions of adjustment.

6. In a power transmitting mechanism, a

change speed gearing tail shaft, a driven shaft,

planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch operable to lock said planetary, mechanism connected to engage said clutch including a piston and rod, a cylinder in which the piston is operableya controlled pressure system connected with the cylinder for moving the piston to engage the clutch, a spring engaging said mechanism to disengage the clutch when the pressure system is ineffective, a spring pressed plunger normally engaging the piston rod to secure it in clutch engaging position, an electric system including a solenoid associated to release said plunger from the piston rod, and a physically operated switch in the electric system for engaging or deenergizing said solenoid, the energizing of said solenoid releasing the plunger to permit the clutch to be disengaged after said pressure system is shut oil? from the cylinder.

7. In a power transmitting mechanism, a planetary gearing clutch, mechanism operable to control said clutch, spring means acting on the mechanism to disengage the clutch, controlled power means connected to move said mechanism to' engage the clutch, control means, for the change speed gearing including shift mechanism and a tail shaft, a driven shaft, planetary gear ing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch shiftable to lock and release parts of the planetary gearing to establish different driving speeds fromthe tail shaft to the driving shaft, mechanism operable to shift said clutch, aispring connected to urge said clutch shifting mechanism in one direction, a vacuum system for urging said clutch shifting mechanism in a direction opposite to that in which it is urged by said spring, and means in said change speed gearing shift mechanism controlling said vacuum system.

5. In a power transmitting mechanism, a

power means, means associated to engage and lock said mechanism when moved to position engaging said clutch, and automatic means under physical control for releasing said lock means from said mechanism when said power means is ineffective.

8. In a power transmitting .mechanism, a planetary gearing clutch operable to provide a direct drive when engaged or a reduced drive when disengaged, mechanism including a link operable to shift said clutch, spring means acting on said mechanism to release said clutch,

controlled power means acting on said mechanism to engage said clutch, lock means normally operating to positively hold said mechanism in clutch engaging position, electromagnetic means operable to. disengage said lock means from said mechanism, and fixed, stop means limiting the movement of said link by said spring means and said power, means.

' 9. In a power transmitting mechanism, change speed gearing including a tail shaft, a casing for the gearing, shift rails movably mounted in bearings in the casing, a driven shaft, planetary gearing drivingly engaging said shafts, a clutch controlling said planetary to provide a direct or a reduced drive therethrough, mechanism normally effective to disengage said clutch, a fluid pressure system associated to move said mechanism to engage said clutch, said system extending through said rail bearings in the casing, said rails being ported to open the system to said mechanism only when positioned to establish direct drive through the change speed gearing, a lock normally operating to engage and secure the mechanism when moved to its clutch engaging position, and an electrical ing associated to be driven by the engine and 10 having a tail shaft, hearings in the casing, shift 'rails for the gearing mounted in said bearings,

a driven shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch controlling said planetary gearing to eifect a direct or reduced drive therethrough, mechanism operable to control said clutch, a spring connected to normally disengage said clutch, a power line connected to move the mechanism to clutch closing position,

tion, an electric system including a solenoid for releasing said lock member from said mechanism, a normally open switch in said system, and control means engageable with one of said shafts to close said switch when the same is in any position except neutral.

13. In -a power transmitting mechanism, change speed gearing having shiftable control means, an engine throttle valve control mechanism including a pedal, a drive shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting the, shaft with the change speed gearing, a clutch associated with the planetary gearing and operable to establish direct or reduced drive therethrough, clutch actuating mechanism, means acting on said mechanism to normally disengage said clutch, controlled pressure means connected to move said mechanism in a direction to engage said clutch, a lock member automatically engageable said line passing through the bearings in said with said mechanism when moved to clutch encasing, said rails having ports to open said line only when said change speed gearing is in high speed relation, means effective to. lock said mechanism in clutch engaging position, an electric system including a switch associated with said lock means to release it from said mechanism when energized, and means associated with said throttle valve control pedal for controlling said switch, said control means being efleetive'to close the switch only when said pedal is moved beyond a position in which-the throttle is wide open.

11. In a power transmitting mechanism, a throttle valve control pedal operated mechanism, change. speed gearing including a pair of 5 shift rails, a drive shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting the change speed gearing and the drive shaft, a clutch associated with the planetary gearing and operable to establish direct or reduced drive therethrough, clutch 40 clutch engaging position, an electric system ineluding a solenoid for releasing said member from locking relation with said mechanism, a

pair of normally open switches operable to energize said system, said throttle control pedal mechanism being operative to close one of said switches when the pedal is beyond position in which the throttle valve is wide open, and means operable by one of said rails except when in neutral position for closing the other switch.

12. In a power transmitting mechanism,

means, said power means control allowing effecchange speed gearing including a pair of shift control rails and a tail shaft, a drive shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch associated with the planetary gearing and operable to establish direct or re- V lease the clutch in the other speed establishing duced drive therethrough, clutch agituating mechanism, means acting on said mechanism to normally disengage said clutch, controlled pressure means connected to move said mechanism in a direction to engage said clutch, a lock gaging position, and an electric system including a solenoid and a normally open switch, said switch being arranged to be engaged and held closed by said throttle valve mechanism when said pedal is moved beyond a position in which the throttle valve is wide open,

14. In a power transmitting mechanism for providing four forward speed drives and a reverse drive, change speed gearing including a tail shaft and control mechanism operable to obtain three forward speeds and a reverse driving speed, a driven shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a control clutch operable to establish direct or reduced drive through the planetary gearing, mechanism operative to engage and release said clutch, power means operable to move said mechanism to clutch engaging position when said change speed gearing is in high speed driving relation, and means operable to selectively retain said mechanism in clutch engaging position or to release the same after said change speed gearing is changed from high speed relation to intermediate drive relation.

15. In a power transmitting mechanism for providing three forward speed drives, change speed gearing including a tail shaft and control mechanism operable to establish two forward speed drives through the tail shaft, a driven shaft, planetary gearing drivingly connecting said shafts, a clutch operable to lock and release said planetary gearing, mechanism for operating said clutch, means automatically operable to move said mechanism to engage said clutch, means operated by said change speed control mechanism for controlling said power tive operation of said power means to engage the clutch in one speed establishing relation of the change speed gearing and to discontinuing effective operation of the power means to rerelation of the change speed gearing, and means for selectively locking or releasing said mechanism to engage or disengage the clutch when the change speed gearing is in the last mentioned relation.

JESSE G. VINCENT. 

